Chapter 42

June 23, 1912

Jesse, Jack Dawson, and Jon were in the general store gathering the things they need for the barbeque later that evening. The afternoon was an overcast of clouds, and it looked like it wasn't going to cooperate, but they weren't taking any chances, as Jesse and his father were leaving early the next morning, as well as Jack, Rose, Fabrizio and Karl. They paid for the merchandises, then made their way to the car, where Jesse takes the wheel, and Jack sat in the front seat, where he watched how Jesse operated the car as he drives it down the road. This one was different than the one they were in back on the ship. Jack knew sooner or later he needed to operate a car as well, for taking Rose around, as well as finding employment in their new place. His father never gave him the opportunity to teach him how to drive a car, much less take care of the house maintenance. He was either busy or tired; he just wanted to sit back, drink his whisky and read his paper after a long day's work at the factory. Jon taught him how to do house maintenance, fixing leaking roofs, pipes, even to change a light bulb. His mother taught him the basics of cooking, she never taught him how to clean house; that's where Fabrizio and Marion came in. Jack was pretty much looking forward to being in the country, working alongside Jesse in his shop, fixing cars for a change, and hopeful to still be an artiste on the side.

When Jack first arrived at the house, he was hopeful he'd get paid with his drawings; but that wasn't the case anymore. He knew the times were changing, and he'd better adjust to it. For better or worse, cameras were starting to become the norm, despite how expensive they were, not to mention fragile in nature. He looked around as New York was slowly gaining momentum. Buildings were going up now, making way for offices instead of manufacturing it once was. And he knew Fabrizio wanted to take a job in construction, and he was hopeful there were some openings out west as well. Best of all, he and Rose were looking forward to getting away from Cal once and for all, hiding out in the country, and they knew they would be found eventually, even in a city as big as New York.

...

Everyone had gathered outside the house. The backyard was small, enclosed by the fence. There was a small shed in the corner, as Jack and Jon dug in there to pull out some boards and tools to build a table and bench combination, that Jon wanted to build for some time now. At the opposite end Jesse was standing over the flaming brazier, his beautiful hair was pushed to the sides of his face and tied with his sister's hair clips that she hardly ever used, to keep his vision unobstructed. He was turning over a huge steak as Karl was complaining he was burning the food, and the flames were a little big from the dripping juices. Little Jack was on the backyard porch, playing with his soldiers and toy cars as Fabrizio sat on the steps, looking a bit forlorn over the loss of Tommy, and his beloved Helga. Meanwhile inside the house Rose and Marion were cutting up various vegetables for their salad, and Jessica went out with a big bowl of dough she had been kneading, as she wanted to make some homemade bread. Behind Fabrizio and little Jack sat Mr. Williams, in a chair he had brought from the front porch, looking over everyone there in a small backyard. Jon helps Jack as he puts together the legs, then putting together the table top and the seat.

"Varo! (look out!)" Karl yelled, as flames shot out of the grill. Licking his lips, Jesse quickly places the meat back on the grill as it nearly caught on fire from the dripping juices. Karl remembered the prior night Jon did the same thing, only his fires were a bit bigger and scary, and the meat turned out dry, with very little juices oozing out of the meat. He was hoping it didn't turn out that way tonight. Once the fires subsided Jesse cuts open slits to look inside if it was still medium. Luckily, his meat turned out better, the juices were darker, and he started to cut it in pieces, but big enough so the meat pieces doesn't fall in the grill.

"Pitää silmällä sitä (keep an eye on it)," Jesse told Karl, as he ran back inside to get a container to put his meat in, but not before nearly tripping on the stairs. Fabrizio was sighing sadly as Jesse walks past him. Once Jack and Jon were finished building their table, Jesse calls out to Jack, then points to Fabrizio, who was looking sadder. Jack quickly runs over to Fabrizio, who then started crying softly almost as soon Jack began comforting him, knowing he had lost Tommy and his new founded love Helga back on the ship. He too has tears in his eyes, not imaging what it would've been like if Fabrizio was lost as well.

"We've got your back when you need us." Jack told Fabrizio between his tears. He continued to comfort Fabrizio until the girls came out with the salad, then putting it on the table. Jessica was now standing over the smoldering grill as she made her homemade tortillas, and Jesse was cutting the meat into even tiny pieces on the plate, before Rose puts the salad in them. Jon sat in the newly made table, as Jack and Fabrizio slowly made their way there. Marion brings out the crate of the remaining sodas from Coney Island and passes them out. Jon runs back in, hoping there were leftover chips from little Jack's birthday party as well. Jack wipes his eyes before running back inside for the little hot dogs, and Fabrizio felt a little bit better, knowing Jack and Jesse were there when he needed them.

They all sat around the food, then Jesse stands and asks for a moment of silence for the 1500 people who lost their lives aboard the R.M.S. Titanic, followed by a prayer to those standing there and for the food, as well as the lives lost that night. For little Cora and her parents, Tommy, Helga, and many others, especially in third class during the party.

Then they finally dug in, stuffing their faces, laughing at each other's silliness. Just then Jon looks up, and sees his younger brother standing on the porch, after coming back from Philadelphia, unannounced. Eric looks around, and couldn't believe his eyes as he sees Jesse at last. Jesse looks up to see who his brother-in-law was looking, then turns around. He slowly gets up from the table, as Eric runs to him, then hugging him as hard as he can. They both cried as they finally see each other once again. Eric thought he was hearing things when Jon told him his younger brother-in-law was alive and well, and that he survived the sinking.

"Come on, let's sit down and eat, shall we?" Jesse says, after he wipes his tears. Eric gives Jessica a peck on her cheek, then pats her shoulders, followed by a round of pats around each of the men's backs, before finding himself a place to sit. Marion hands him a plate, as Eric nervously takes it from her. The laughter resumes, with Jon burping loudly. Mr. Williams gave his son-in-law a disapproving look, and shaking his head in disgust, while everyone laughed it up, and the wonderful aromas of food and smoke filled the air around them.

...

They were done with their food, and this time Jesse and Marion offered to do the dishes, while Jack and Rose sat at the table, admiring the beautiful couple while they were washing dishes. They wondered what the couple in front of them would be like if they had gotten married, as Jesse smiled and kissed Marion on her lips, while she blushed. Then they made their way to the living room, where they were playing some sort of card game, while Jesse and Marion continued to wash the dishes. Even with soapy hands they managed to do an impromptu dance in the kitchen, dripping water and soap onto the floor and themselves before Eric asks Jack and Rose from the living room, which made them stop cold in their tracks.

"Hey, did you know this Caledon guy is looking for you two?"

Jesse and Marion enter the room, just as they were done with the dishes. Eric continues. "Yeah. This Caledon guy, I think he was Mr. Hockley's son. But anyway, I overheard him and his servant or something like that they were planning to look for Rose, but not before having Jack killed," he pointed at Jack Dawson, whose eyes suddenly went large. "This was on the train I boarded earlier today after I left work. It was a totally strange coincidence they sat behind me. It was a good thing they didn't know who I was; they assumed I was just a typical passenger until I overheard the two talk amongst themselves."

Jack and Rose felt their blood run cold. They knew he was more relentless now that he was looking for Rose, and to get what he wanted.

Jack asks, "What about Jesse?" as he noticed Jesse leaning on the door frame leading into the kitchen, his hand holding up his hair, with Marion wrapping her arms tightly around Jesse's small waist.

Eric looked at Jack, then swung around to where Jesse and Marion were still standing, then he gave a sly smile, as he watched Marion run her hand through her hair, then to Jesse's.

"He didn't mention anything about Jesse; he just assumed he was dead. But he'll get a nasty surprise to find out he's still alive."

"I'm sure he will." Mr. Williams says, as he folded his paper for the night. Nothing in there seemed to spark his interests, except for a little article stating that over a hundred people fell into the Niagara when a platform they were standing on collapsed. Jack and Rose looked at each other nervously, before kissing each other, and Jack wrapped his arms around Rose as they made their way back to Jesse's room. Jack looked around at the small room they have been staying in since Jesse's arrival from the hospital, while Rose began gathering what possessions they had, in preparation to leave the house in the morning. Jesse's father knocked, then gently stepped in the room. The room looked exactly he left since his trip to France, then he turned his attention to the young couple. He wanted to know why Jack was with a woman who was engaged to the steel tycoon, but instead decided to swallow it, once and for all. He knew the couple were meant for each other, and it wasn't in his interest in meddle in their affairs. He quickly changed the subject in his head.

"Better be ready, kids. The train leaves from Grand Central Terminal first thing. We don't want that mongrel behind us." Mr. Williams says, walking to the door, then turns around at the couple for the last time. "Good night. And you have my blessings. I'm sure your father would've done the same." He gestured at Rose, then smiled at the couple, before closing the door, leaving the couple in solitude, and joining his son and girlfriend in the living room, as they got ready to turn in for the night.